


Spoonfull of Sugar

by Wibbili_Wobbly



Series: THE STRANGER FROM GALLIFREY [9]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Aliens, Children, F/M, Gen, Historical Inaccuracy, Mary Poppins References, Past, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:27:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28215450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wibbili_Wobbly/pseuds/Wibbili_Wobbly
Summary: If you happen to celebrate Christmas with the Stranger prepare for anything and be sure: this won't be boring.
Series: THE STRANGER FROM GALLIFREY [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686751





	Spoonfull of Sugar

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Леди Совершенство](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28215408) by [Wibbili_Wobbly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wibbili_Wobbly/pseuds/Wibbili_Wobbly). 



It was an ordinary quiet morning in London, December 24, early twentieth century. A respectable family was sitting at the table, discussing news and plans at their breakfast.

"Jane, Michael, your mother and I decided you need a nanny", the head of the family claimed in a primly calm tone. "For this position, only the most disciplined, decent, and reliable..." he didn't have time to finish.

The front door of the house swung open and a dishevelled girl, out of her breath, flew into the room with a large Gobelin bag and a long umbrella in her hands.

"No time to explain — where's the attic here?"

"I beg your pardon, miss, but how did you get here?"

"Don't ask me how", her purple eyes gleamed.

***

The attic was dark and dusty.

"Damn, I'm late! I've missed it! Now we'll have to stagger everywhere and look for it. And this is all right at Christmas Eve!"

"Who the hell are you and what do you want?" the head of the family insisted.

"Oh, darling, I think I know", his wife interjected. "She must have responded to our note in the newspapers. Reacted so quickly — that's wonderful!"

"Are you on our note, Miss...?"

"Stra... Hmmm... Ugh..." the Stranger examined herself. "It's Mary. _Mary Poppins._ On a note? Yep, sure, of course"

"Do you have the required credentials?"

She took out a psychic paper and handed it to the owner of the house.

"Oh, so you ate a qualified nanny, you fit is perfectly"

"Nanny? Oh, right, yes, that's right. I'd be delighted to work"

"Let us discuss your salary. You see..."

"Minimal. The lesser the better. I don't give a... Ugh, I don't care, I mean. I'm sort of an altruist. I love children and being helpful"

The thought of a recommended and, most importantly, cheap employee pleased the parents. The new nanny was immediately provided with a room and basic instructions. The children were given to her, and the parents left the house.

***

"Hey, kids, wanna see a trick?" the newly named Mary Poppins put down her strange-looking Gobelin bag and pulled a whole cot out of it.

"Is it bigger on the inside?!" Michael and Jane were amazed. The nanny, as always, was pleased to hear this familiar phrase.

The cot was followed by a whole piano and after that...

"Come on, get out, you uncontrollable shit", she kicked the bag and a dark-haired man in a maroon red coat appeared from there.

"So, why did you have to get a job as a nanny? Don't we have enough problems without this?"

"What a moron you are. We need to linger somewhere while catching Zholdanian. Any better variants?? Casanova, why are you always do retreated, huh?"

Yes, with no doubt it was **Casanova**. Evidently, the tragic events of the French Revolution were still in the future for him by that moment.

"Ugh, that was terrible, I don't know for how much longer I would have suffered there, in the bag"

"Oi!" the Stranger was indignant. "I've been carrying with me a bag with a piano, a cot, a month's supply of cheese sticks, five litres of beer and some bloke! Have your respect! And if you suddenly want to complain go and drown yourself in a river"

The children looked at each other in bewilderment, watching everything happening.

"Dad didn't say the nanny wouldn't be alone"

Casanova smiled and squatted down next to them.

"Well, dad doesn't need to know about it, does he? You see, every self-respecting Lady should have a secret. In case of you nanny — that's me"

***

Evening came and it was already getting dark outside. The Stranger put the children to bed and secretly sneaked out with Casanova.

"You know, this would be a hundred times easier if we had come here in your TARDIS", the Stranger grumbled, frowning.

"No no no and one more time no. I told you: my TARDIS is not a public place and I will just never let you in"

"Aha, that is, you take your whores in there — but not me. The stars are in the wrong position for me! Or you're still cross with me since I said the notion of bad style was invented because of your stupid look? Well, I've already apologised — what else do you need, you dog?"

"You know, you're being way too rude for a companion", Casanova looked at her resentfully and turned away.

"For a what?! So it is me your companion?! No way! It's vice versa!"

"Nope, you're wrong — the vortex-manipulator was mine"

"But... But I... I've been carrying you in my bag all the way!"

"Well, yes, as befits any companion", Casanova grinned.

It was obvious that the matter could even end up with a fight — none of the Strangers wanted to give in, both now and then were eager to command. The Time Lady already lifted her umbrella against Casanova, when suddenly a tin can rolled from around the corner and unclear sounds were heard.

"This could be it!.." the Time Lord stained.

"And how do you like this one!" the Stranger slapped Casanova with her umbrella, slightly lower than his back. And only after that, she estimated the situation, "Or maybe you're actually right"

Both rushed around the corner and...

"Kids?! Oh, you nasty little Daleks! What have you forgotten here?"

Those were really Michael and Jane looking at them, though they should've been sleeping peacefully in their beds after the Christmas dinner and lullabies of their new nanny.

"We saw you and your friend going somewhere on Christmas night and decided to play spies to trace you", the children made guilty faces.

"Yeah, splendid!" the Stranger rolled her eyes. "To accidentally kill the children on the first day of work. The second would already be better — at least not that humanising. But the first!  
You should be ashamed of your misbehaviour", the Time Lady uttered sternly.

"Yes, ma'am, we are sorry", Jane and Michael bowed their heads.

The Stranger looked at them and then at Casanova.

"This is all your bad influence", with a heavy sigh she patted Michael on the head and said: "Okay, you're coming with us. And this is only because we are already too far from home. But! You never step back from us and you don't tell anybody about whatever you'll see tonight, okay?"

The children nodded happily. They liked hands and Jane grabbed the hem of nanny's long skirt. The Stranger categorically forbade taking Casanova by the hand, to which the man clearly got offended.

***

The adventurers reached one of the many London bridges that looked so beautiful covered with glowing snow.  
The travellers headed there.  
The Stranger along with Casanova was singing children's songs.

"Wait. As a true gentleman, I'll go first. For kids' safety", Casanova walked proudly and confidently under the bridge.

He was immediately blinded with the bright light. The Stranger, armed with her umbrella and covering the children, followed expecting to see the reason for their search there.  
However, despite all her presumptions, she bumped into a man in a long coat, brown suit, sneakers, some intricate helmet on his head and a complicated device in his hands.

"What? Stranger?! When? Why?" the man took off his helmet looking at the girl in surprise.

"Doctor?" the Stranger said with a smile.

"By the way, I'm fine too", Casanova grumbled only now haven't recovered from the bright flash.

***

The Stranger, Casanova and the children huddled together looking at the Doctor.

"Right, no. No, no, no", the doctor shook his head looking at this unusual company. "This is against all the laws of time and morality. You couldn't **have kids**!" he winced.

"What?!" the Stranger frowned indignantly. "We didn't..."

"Yes, how dare you!" Casanova interjected. "In fact, this was a well-thought, deliberate decision of ours", he noted with significance and immediately got a good slap from the Time Lady. "Okay, all right, we're just their nannies"

"Right, now explain to me how you two ended up together, what you're doing here and why Casanova is still... Well, you understand", the Doctor put all his tools aside and stared at the Stranger.

"Well, here we're kind of hunting for one creature", she began.

"It has stolen something important from us", Casanova giggled while building a snowman with the children.

"Yep, exactly, ahem... And as for him, it's pretty clear. From time to time we meet and travel together. He's my companion", explained the Stranger, to which Casanova only frowned but didn't argue. The girl continued: "And I've become a nanny by accident. It's just that the Zholdanian whom we're chasing, made its way into the house of a family and so this is it"

"Wait, are you chasing it too?" the Doctor perked up. "Donna stayed in the best spa in the third galaxy, and I decided not to waste time. And then there was an unusual activity spotted here. Now I see the reason. Lovely Zholdanian — just amazing!"

The Stranger crossed her arms shivering and shifting from one foot to the other. Walking barefoot on the frozen ground wasn't a very pleasant thing to do, but she would never give up her principles. Besides, her extraterrestrial organism allowed to cope.  
The girl began to grumble something unclear in response to the Doctor's enviable optimism, but he came closer and interrupted her.

"You're cold", this sounded more like a statement rather than a question.

Before the Stranger could even react, long Doctor's coat covered her shoulders. And it occurred to be even warmer than she had expected.

"Oh, thanks"

"I guess, a couple of shoes would be a good Christmas present"

"Well, you could've just say straight away that you don't respect me"

However, this idyll didn't last for long. The Stranger noticed that the children scattered too far away and everything else for her instantly faded.

"Oi, kids! Where are you going? Come back right now! To a safe distance", the Time Lady rushed to them, leaving Doctor with Casanova.

Doctor watched her go. He was worried about something, and this certainly had something to do with that strange feeling, the warmth spreading in his chest.  
That girl was undoubtedly so bizarre and extravagant that she would obviously annoy anyone. Although, it seems that enough time had passed to get used even to that.  
And now she was so simple and yet completely unearthly, smiling at the two children, who were listening to her attentively.

"Oh, what a familiar look", Casanova smiled mysteriously.

"Not you, please", the Doctor sighed heavily and pretended to be extremely busy with his devices.

"Well, who else but me. After all, I'm Casanova — a Venetian lover and lady-killer"

The Doctor glanced at him briefly and replied nothing.  
Casanova snorted.

"I don't know what you think of me but I can perfectly understand feelings if I want to"

The Doctor again remained silent, looking at Casanova and letting know that he wouldn't talk about it aloud.  
The man grinned back.

" _Le ferite d'amore non le può sanare che chi le ha fatte_ (Ital. _Love wounds can be healed only the one who inflicted them_ ). So talk to her or something. In the worst case, you'll just get to know her umbrella better"

"Thank you", the Doctor smiled. "You know, all this time I thought that you were one of the dumbest and most awkward creatures in the entire galaxy"

"In fact, you weren't that much mistaken.  
Stranger, stop messing around with kids, we still have to get your tiny thing back!" the man looked at the little snowman in his hands. "Oh, look, I made myself a son!"

***

The Doctor's device made it possible to track energy surges, which clearly indicated the presence of an unearthly creature. According to the Doctor, these were the bursts of energy that enable the alien to open the wormholes, through which it got there.  
But do far the evening was quiet.

The snow was glittering and sparkling in the light of street lamps.  
And not a soul around — all respectable residents had gone to bed after a Christmas feast.

Michael and Jane looked around in fascination — never had they seen these ordinary city streets at such a late hour.  
Casanova couldn't fail to notice this interest in children's eyes.

"How about some horror stories?" he began fervently. "You can't miss such a mysterious and atmospheric moment in your short lives.  
I shall begin. It all happened when the Strange and I decided to travel together for the first time. We found ourselves stuck on a..."

"Not for a child's mind, moron!" interrupted the Stranger. "You'd better give the kids the word if you're that smart"

Children looked at each other and told the story about a statue in a city park.  
Something like a local legend about the stone figure that changes its location overnight — almost imperceptibly or to a completely different place.

"Father says that it's either the local authorities do not know where to put it or just some vandals playing their tricks. It is believed that there's an evil spirit sealed in stone so as not to harm anybody"

"Phew, what a nonsense", the Stranger winced sceptically. " **Living statue** , Spirit in stone... Not very realistic"

"Says the alien travelling with the previous version of herself and disdaining shoes", muttered the Doctor.

"Anyway, just don't listen to them, this is all just some stuff", the nanny dismissed.

"Though, it's better not to touch that statue — just a note from personal experience", the Doctor added.

Suddenly his device lighted in different colours and started vibrating.

"Oh, the flashlights!" he smiled broadly. "I love flashlights"

The Time Lord was about to say something else but then the creature appeared out of nowhere. Fast and agile it crawled along the wall of the house, flew above the travellers' heads and vanished into a wormhole.  
The children screamed in grouchy and clutched the Stranger's skirt.

"Mary Poppins, is this the very spirit of Christmas we were looking for?"

"Well, something of the kind... And where did this junk go?"

The Doctor stared at the device thoughtfully.

"This will take a little more flashlights"

***

The portal, which hadn't yet closed, was blazing in the air, raising a strong wind and emitting clouds of energy.

"Okay, so we've found it", concluded the Doctor.

"That's great, isn't it?" Jane was delighted. "Do you have a plan?"

"I..." the Time Lord held out, "...I didn't say that"

"Argh, I'm so tired of you doing nothing! You may linger assertions for as long as you wish — but I'm out of this", the Stranger began to open her umbrella.

"But how?" Michael looked at her.

"Don't ask me hoooooow", a severe stream of wind picked the Time Lady up into the air without letting her finish the phrase.

"What a view!" noted Casanova looking up and watching the Stranger's petticoats fluttering in the wind.

The Doctor shook his head collecting himself and looked reproachfully at Casanova.  
The Stranger soon disappeared in the portal, which immediately closed.

"Right, now we have to be looking for HER as well", the Doctor frowned. "Any suggestions?"

"Ah, don't be afraid, you are referring to the right person"

Casanova straightened, straining with concentration, listening to every single noise and smelling attentively the child air. It seemed that if the Time Lords had some superpower, he was about to demonstrate it.  
The man opened his eyes sharply, took three confident steps forward as if part of his strange ritual, and then... scooped a handful of friable snow and tasted it.

"Nah. Not a single idea"

The Doctor facepalmed. He started rummaging is technical equipment until he got interrupted by the children, who were afraid not to see their nanny again.

"No, no, no", the Time Lord assured them. "She was dragged into the portal but going by my research, equipment and comics about some Strange Doctor who can manually open portals... Briefly, your nanny is alive. And according to my calculations, she should be thrown out somewhere over..." his device tinkered, "...there!"

Everyone rushed after the Doctor.

***

They ran to the river. The Doctor was trying to handle his equipment.

"So, going by the amount of energy dust between the molecules, the latest wormhole must have opened somewhere..."

"Here", the familiar fervent female voice finished his phrase.

This occurred to be the Stranger of course. The Doctor smiled barely looking up. He was not surprised to see her — he had never doubted her, not for a second.

"Oah! And what's this?" Casanova pointed at a strange object at the girl's feet.

"Yes, I'm alive, thanks for your concern", she replied with disappointment, which was soon replaced by pride. "I tore off the trail of that thing, just look at that! I grabbed it tighter and... Let this rummage know who is the mommy here"

"Exactly! Fantastic! Oh, you are amazing", the Doctor ran to the tail awkwardly shoving the Stranger away and began to scan the trophy with his Sonic Screw. "Oh, she is wonderful, absolutely gorgeous!" no sooner had the Time Lady taken these words personally than he continued: "It's a female"

"Oi! Mind the language!"

"You understand? This is a wonderful organism she-Zholdanian. And she is wandering between the spaces for a reason. She is preparing to breed!" the Time Lord said excitedly. He absentmindedly lifted the Stranger, twisted her and then let her go and ran to the creature's tail again. "Apparently, that's why she steals everything that is possible. She's looking for anything nutritious or useful for building a nest", the Doctor quickly ran his tongue over the tail. "Yes, she's definitely 17 — the ideal age of puberty for them"

"Aha, that is it", Casanova winced. "So when I eat snow — this is disgusting, but when he relishes the remains of a space creature — that is nothing, very attractive"

"No, it's just that you've been too annoying from the very beginning", replied the Time Lady.

The Doctor didn't even notice their quarrel as he was fully lost in his thoughts.

"Something nutritious, she needs carbohydrates. Such as... C12H22O11, α-D-glucopyranosyl- (1,2) -β-D-fructofuranoside, or..."

"Ordinary sugar, no need for showing off", the Stranger summed up.

" Oh, right, we could burn the sugar", Casanova suggested. "Well, to attract the creature as this thing will emit a characteristic smell. We could put it a, say, a spoon and hit it on fire, just like it was in one film and... and..." he began gesticulating actively and getting lost in his own thoughts trying to express the idea.

The Stranger was indifferently watching his attempts for some time and then uttered:

"Okay, Casy, darling, then would you be so kind to go into my bag and get us a pack of sugar, please?"

"Oh? Yep, right, sure, just a moment", Casanova took the bag, which had been with them all that time, and disappeared in it. "By the way, I'm not at all sure that there is any sugar here..."

"Don't worry, neither am I"

The Stranger snapped the bag with a sharp movement, pulled it aside and threw right into the Thames.

"Bon Voyage!" she shouted watching the bag sailing away.

The Time Lady breathed out with noticeable relief and dusted herself off. She cheerfully took reversal steps towards Doctor and the kids but suddenly stopped and winced.

"Damn, my screwdriver was left there!" the Stranger rapidly dashed to the river, looked at the water and already firmly raised her leg above the railing, but the Doctor was just in time to drag her away.

***

The device detected that a new wormhole would open in the park nearby.  
And this seemed to be the best possible option as it was much better than chasing such a massive creature along the narrow streets between houses.  
However, there still was one problem unsolved.

"Okay, let it be, assume Casanova was right", the Stranger began. "But I doubt you have a pack of sugar somewhere in your pocket"

"Right you are", the Time Lord agreed. Suddenly an idea came to him. He ran to the children and squatted down in front of them. "I have a very important request for you: candies. Sweets, cupcakes, lollipops, gum, whatever. Come on, I don't believe you won't have any of these at Christmas Eve"

Michael and Jane exchanged glances and with barely noticeable regret pulled a handful of sweets from their pockets.

"You're just wonderful!" he smiled. Then there was sarcastic slow applause from behind him.

"Well, genius, you've managed to take candy from a kid. But with what are you going to light a fire?"

And then Micheal looked down guiltily.

"Will... I've got something" he fumbled about in his pocket and pulled out a box of matches.

"Oi! Matches are not a toy for children!" the Stranger grabbed the box. "You'll have big problems, young man. ... But later on; for now, that's a good job, I'm proud of you", she patted his hair.

The Time Lady left the kids at the entrance to the park. She understood that if something went wrong this would save them at least for a while.

"Right, both of you, listen carefully. You two stay here, no matter what happens. If it's getting too scary — just _close your eyes_ , okay? Smart ones you are. And not a sound, don't even look at us, adults are gonna set a bad example. ... And not a single word to your parents", she quickly kissed the children on the forehead hoping that the Doctor wouldn't notice this unexpectedly tender gesture.

***

Slight vandalism in the form of setting fire to the trash bin was of course justified by good causes. It was fortunate that on Christmas night there were no policemen to find it very strange seeing two people heating a suspicious substance in a spoon over the burning trash bin.

" _Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down..._ I told you a spoon is a great piece of equipment. Besides, in close combat, it is simply irreplaceable — way batter Ryan any sword"

While the two Gallifreyans were waiting for their prey the children were obediently stating outside the park. Michael tugged at his sister's sleeve.

"Well, what do you want? She said us to stay still", Jane frowned. Her brother silently pointed to a nearby statue in the park. "Wasn't it there from the very beginning?" The kids looked at each other. Fear took over them and so they did just as their nanny ordered — without saying a word they both _closed their eyes_.

The Time Lords' anticipation wasn't too long.

"Listen, I'm just thinking... So we'll attract that thing — and what's next? How are you gonna catch it?" no sooner had the Stranger uttered these words than a huge wormhole opened right above their heads. The plan worked.

"You know, I'll certainly explain to you later but for now — RUN!" the Doctor grabbed her hand and dashed forward with a spoonful of melted sweets.

***

The Doctor and the Stranger weren't running for very long; the situation was getting critical.

" _Split up!_ " the Doctor turned shyly to the side, getting the creature away from the Stranger.

"Doctor?" she shouted in a trembling voice losing sight of him in the rising blizzard. "Don't you dare to die — you can't leave me any more!"

"It's fine!" he sounded somewhere in the depth of the park, behind the furious alien. "I've got everything under control. I'll sort it out!" the Time Lord ran around the creature waving his hands and trying to get its attention. "It's gonna be fine. I'm gonna catch her now. _I don't wanna leave you any more. **I promi...**_ " his voice broke off abruptly.

The Time Lord didn't fall silent but simply... disappeared?

"Doctor?" the Stranger was trying to find him in the raging storm. Even the angry alien seemed to have ceased to exist for her. "Doctaaaar!" _Was that happening again: he had just disappeared where he was needed so much?_

The creature was rushing from side to side not understanding what or whom it was looking for. The Stranger darted away and hid behind a tree.  
The Doctor had never had time to reveal his plan so she had to improvise.  
Something suddenly captured her attention.

"A statue? Wait, the statue!" the Time Lady realised. "The statue that changes its position but nobody has ever seen this happening", the Strange suddenly understood she would never see the Doctor again. "Damming **weeping angels**!"

That mysterious statue from the park was indeed one of them. And yes, the Doctor had fallen its victim and thus had been sent to some undefined past. **Completely alone.**  
The Stranger didn't have a TARDIS to even try to find and save him. She had once been searching for him all over the universe — wouldn't she manage to do the same thing on Earth?  
But she was now alone and so helpless, meanwhile, the whole planet had lost its only protector.

_"I wonder if there are many of those who would be **morning for the Doctor** "_, thought the Stranger. _"Well, evidently many more than to **grief for me** "_

The Time Lady took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the tree. There occurred to be a familiar stone figure of a weeping angel right in front of her. The Stranger met it with desperate indifference. She dropped her hand into the pocket of the Doctor's coat, which she had been wearing all that time. Luckily, the last candy was found there, a mint one. Without looking away the girl took it out and beckoned to the alien that was somewhere behind.

"I've got nothing more to lose. The last thing to do is to clear this time and place from the alien creature — that is exactly the sort of thing the **Doctor would like to do** ", claimed the Time Lady looking straight into the stone face of the statue.

The creature rushed towards the Stranger. She ducked. And sat down. Covered herself with her palms. Closed get eyes.

***

When the Stranger opened her eyes again, surprisingly enough, she found herself on the very same spot. There was no statue nor Zholdanian to be seen anywhere.

The thing is that the colossal energy of the alien was enough to devour the weeping angel, which in its turn collapsed destroying the creature.

It became very quiet around, as befits a night in a park. Nothing emitted about stormy events a few seconds ago. Only a small metal box — a shiny flattened device no larger than a palm — landed at Stranger's feet.

" _Look what a mess you've done, little trinket_ ", the Time Lady picked up the object.

In an instant, she got struck by the realisation that she had lost the Doctor only a couple of minutes ago — had lost forever.  
She was too exhausted even to cry. The girl was just staring at the metal thing with her empty eyes.

Suddenly a chill team down her spine.

"The kids!" remembered the Stranger. She dashed to the gates of the park, getting tangled in the big coat. "Kids... What if the statue... I told them to close their eyes!.." she ran out and looked around. "Children! Oh, please, not this creepy feeling again... **_Why is it so familiar?_** Children!.."

"Nanny, have you stolen the statue?" the small hand pulled the coat on the Stranger.

"Huh?"

"There was the statue and now it's gone. Dad says stealing is no good", Michael frowned.

"Please forgive him", his sister intervened. "He's being annoying when he gets tired. Everything was exciting but we really wanna go home. We promise not to get into trouble and night adventures again"

The Stranger smiled happily through the tears and embraced the children.

"How I... _How I hate you two!_ " she laughed.

***

The children were already at home when the first rays of rising Sun were just about to dawn at the horizon.  
The Stranger left the house and disappeared forever from the life of this family.

She was walking along the frozen streets, alone as always. No TARDIS, no vertex-manipulator, no Sonic screwdriver, no Casanova in the bag... no Doctor.  
The Stranger had little idea where to go now; she was now again trapped in one timezone, though she didn't care much.

There was that very familiar feeling of vicious loneliness inside. A breath of cold winter wind made the Time Lady wrap herself tightly in the Doctor's coat, which as it seemed to her still carried his warmth.

" _Doctor..._ " muttered the Stranger. Thinking out loud usually calmed her — a habit of lonely people. "He's gone again. This time definitely. And what am I to do without him?" she suddenly stopped. "Indeed, what do I do with no Doctor?" this thought already was accompanied by some kind of **disgust**. Not to the Doctor but herself. "That is it. **What am I worth?** I've wasted a dozen of lives pursuing an empty dream that I impose on myself. Chasing after some weird illusion that the Doctor cares for me. What an absurd!" she glanced at the cost on her shoulders. " **I'm such an idiot!** Just a pathetic miserable idiot. Just thinking: what do I actually live for? To run after someone? To crawl? To beg? To cherish the thought that I have somewhere to find peace? So much I could do, so much to achieve, create, fulfil. If I only had my own life! _Poor Archie from the 'Pilgrim's Cornershop'_ ", she suddenly remembered.

The Stranger was disgusted with herself, so disappointed in everything she used to believe during her previous twelve lives.

"Casanova could be very helpful now", she grinned. "I should stop throwing my close ones into the river"

With every step she took, her melancholy would cover her more and more. It is still not clear where these doomy feelings would lead her to, but her thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

On the street, somewhere ahead, leaning against the wall, with his arms crossed and mysteriously smiling... **the Doctor** was standing there.  
The Stranger couldn't believe her eyes.

"Guess what I found in the distant past where I was thrown?"

"D-Doctor? But how?!"

"Oh, don't ask me how", he smiled again. "I've got a present for you. At Christmas, as it should be. Let's go. _Close your eyes and don't peep_ "

The Doctor took the Stranger by the hand and led her. The Time Lady cautiously walked after him, stepping on the cobblestones powdered with snow. She felt cold snowflakes, which were swirling lazily in the air, call on her nose.

" _Now open_ "

The Stranger opened her eyes and saw something she could have never expected. But the was no mistake.

"This is... That's my..."

"Exactly"

And that's true: there she was, standing in the dim light of the last morning lantern. **_Her TARDIS._**  
The Stagger approached this bright blue plastic cabin that hadn't changed its appearance.  
The Time Lady put her hand on the wall, not believing that after so much time it was really happening.

***

The Stranger gives the Doctor a gaze full of admiration and boundless gratitude.  
She opens the door; endless darkness that has never stopped waiting for its mistress greets them.

As the Time Lady takes a step inside, a wave of light seems to emanate from her bare foot and roll across the floor.  
The Stranger and the Doctor walk slowly on. She places her palms on the console in awe.

**_"I'm home"_ **

The TARDIS unmistakably recognises, senses its Time Lady.

The console lights up with sparkles and the glow spreads from it all over the room. It feels much more natural than light from any lamp, like the light of stars.

In the middle of the console, instead of a large piston, as in the Doctor's TARDIS, there are crystals installed here — one below, the other right under the ceiling. They are behind the glass, generating energy and transferring current to each other.

The hostess nudged the console slightly and it spun around the power source. With the spin, there appeared a seat fitted right into the control panel. It was so comfortable to sit on it with one's legs thrown back.

There were so many things in the TARDIS, yet she didn't seem littery at all.

Many retorts and flasks; stacks of books on the shelves; stickers with notes all over the place; a bunch of outlandish gizmos collected from all time and space. And a spiral staircase leading to the second floor.

The Doctor was mesmerised. He had seen so many unprecedented miracles in its long lives but walking into someone else's TARDIS is looking into someone else's soul.

The Time Lord turned around. Behind him, on the wall, there was a huge metal panel engraved with Gallifreyan inscriptions. They would mean the only thing — the real name of the Doctor. The name that only very few happened to know.  
And this name once used to accompany the Stranger in her every adventure.

The Stranger smiled. There were so much warmth and childish happiness in her gaze. She had finally got it back, her home, her lost abode. In her endless eyes, space twinkled and sparkled with joy.

The Doctor was looking at her. Such an unusual feeling... He suddenly wanted to give up everything and set off with her to a never-ending journey around the universe. Just like they used to dream in the distant Gallifreyan past.

***

" _Stranger..._ " the Doctor smiles, takes a step towards her, then another, takes her hand.

In just one moment a hundred events swirl through their heads — everything that has happened and could happen in the future if these promising plans were even just for a second meant to come true.

Whether this was the amazing ability of the Time Lords to transmit memories and thoughts or it was just a delusion — no one knows.

They look at each other, unable to stop and the Doctor is already just about to say some incredibly important words. Something that should have sounded a long time ago since it was said on far Gallifrey. But...

"Rule one: **the Doctor always lies** ", the Stranger is away. "Don't lie to me; no need to say something you don't believe yourself", she removed her palm from his one. "You can't even imagine what a big lie it is. Let's not make this mistake. I know I'm pathetic — but not that desperately. Please" with a weak move she takes off her shoulders his coat and returns it to him. And then she gives him that little metal box, because of which this whole adventure has stated. "Whenever you feel miserable; even the situation seems hopeless; when you have no idea what to do and how to live just use it"

The Time Lady presses the only button on the device and it displays the inscription in a hologram: _"Don't ask me how"_

"Stupid, isn't it?"

The Stranger walks the Doctor to the door. No, not at all meant to kick him out. He understands and sees how grateful she is to him for everything. Perhaps, the Stranger is giving him the biggest and the most precious present she can do: she is giving him freedom.  
Both of them, in fact.

"Doctor, I let you go", with these words she will allow the Time Lord to continue his eternal odyssey — without her.

He silently walls out. Takes a step from the TARDIS. More and more, moving farther. Already from being the corner, he hears the sound of the departing time machine. The Doctor realises that this may be the last time he hears this very TARDIS.

He stops sharply, rushes back, runs around the corner. The Doctor sees the fading TARDIS that in instant vanishes like a mirage.

"But... ** _I don't wanna go!.._** "


End file.
